One small step for man....

A visit to this blog got me thinking about pumpkin scones and afternoon tea. Just as a I was about to start getting the ingredients together for 'the kitchen wench's' delightful date and pumpkin scones I heard my mother-in-laws voice singing the praises of Flo's pumpkin scones. For those of you who have no idea who Flo is, I will give you a quick introduction: Florence Isabel Bjelke-Petersen

So that's Flo's story and I think I learned a little something there myself. However in truth the only thing I really remember about Flo is the legend of her pumpkin scones. Yet I have never made them for myself. It's overcast and pretty miserable today and I am positive a batch of pumpkin scones is just what the doctor ordered. I am cooking the pumpkin as I speak and just the smell of it alone is making me hungry...must be the anticipation of what is to come....

10 minutes later...
Phoning mother in law ... "um hi L um.. with these pumpkin scones are they meant to be sooooooooooo wet?" "yes darling the dough is quite wet. I always just 'flop' it around in the flour until it comes together." "ummm. ok. thanks." Now with pumpkin dough all over myself, kitchen taps and bench I attempt to flop around the dough in some flour...

10 minutes later...
hmmmm maybe I should have just made regular scones...well.. actually... Ok.... I should confess.... I am a fraud. I call myself a chef, but when it comes to the simple task of making scones I am a complete failure. I have made numerous attempts at baking scones before and have always ended up with rock cakes. I even know all the rules I try not to overwork them, I just let them come together, I rest them. And yet they never yield the beautiful scones I imagine. (note B makes perfect scones. Scones and gnocchi argh!!) This is why I thought I would try a completely different recipe and see if I could not, with all my culinary training and years of working with food, produce a beautiful scone worthy of any high tea stand. It appears that I may have failed yet again at this simple simple task. Oh well scones are in the oven (despite my instincts about the final results)

12 minutes later.....
oh my...oh my... I think I want to cry!!! They are gorgeous. My beautiful, beautiful little scones. I am so proud. This is one of my finest culinary achievements. Well they look gorgeous just as I had imagined a scone should. Now for a little taste test....

30 seconds later..
Oh Flo I could kiss you! You and your glorious pumpkin scones!!! It only took me 30 seconds to wolf down an entire scone and I only stopped there because I was afraid I would eat all the evidence before I had a chance to take a photo! So please find below a delicious recipe for pumpkin scones, while I make myself a cup of tea. PS the mixture may be quite wet but just 'flop it around in the flour until it comes together'.

Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen's Famous Pumpkin Scones
1 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cold)
2 cups Self raising flour

Method:
Beat together butter, sugar and salt with electric mixer.
Add egg, then pumpkin and stir in the flour.
Turn on to floured board and cut. Place in tray on top shelf of very hot oven 225-250c for 15-20 minutes.